West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose asks staff to disregard Kolkata police summons amid molestation probe

Amid serious sexual harassment allegations, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Sunday issued a directive to all staff members of Raj Bhavan to disregard summons or any other communication from the Special Enquiry Team (SET) of Kolkata Police. Ananda Bose mentioned immunities under Article 361 which prohibits inquiries against the Governor. 

“The reports from the media indicate that the police propose to conduct an inquiry into the incident and that they would be examining the staff of Raj Bhavan. It is also reported that the investigating team intends to collect the CCTV footage from Raj Bhavan,” Bose said in the post on X. 

"The question that arises is whether the police can conduct an inquiry and collect evidence in view of the immunity enjoyed by the governor....," he added. 

The directive came after the Kolkata Police requested 3 Raj Bhavan personnel to come and facilitate the enquiry. The sources from the Kolkata Police also confirmed that no employee from the Raj Bhavan turned up to facilitate the enquiry, and the requested CCTV footage is yet to be received.

"Hare Street PS had requested 3 Raj Bhavan personnel to come over to the PS this afternoon to facilitate the enquiry (4th was from KP - who attended). CCTV footage was also asked for. None from Raj Bhawan turned up for enquiry. CCTV footage is yet to be received. We will request again on Monday (6 May)--no other enquiry plan till then," police sources said.

The development came as an employee from Raj Bhavan on Thursday alleged that she was sexually harassed by Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose. The Kolkata Police has registered a complaint in the matter but has not named the Bengal Governor, who has Constitutional immunity under Article 361. 

Raj Bhavan was quick to reject the allegations and called it an "engineered narrative." Moreover, the entry of Kolkata Police and West Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya was banned in Raj Bhavan. 

"For defamation and anti-constitutional media statements against Governor, a junior gubernatorial appointee, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Department of Finance has been banned entry into the Raj Bhavan premises of Kolkata, Darjeeling and Barrackpore," the order said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has spoken strongly against Governor CV Ananda and connected the issue with the Sandeshkhali issue.

"The Governor misbehaved with a young girl. You asked me yesterday why my minister was talking about this. I want to make it clear that there is not one. I have received thousands of such cases, but I didn't speak then. But yesterday's incident was heart-wrenching for me," she told reporters on Friday.